Information retrieval system

ABSTRACT

An information retrieval system includes a housing in which a plurality of information bearing media, each having a tab-like protrusion cooperatively associated therewith at least one of a plurality of desired retrieval code positions, is retrievably stored in a stacked arrangement. The housing includes a slotted portion having a plurality of spaced apart slots which each extend transversely of the stack, each slot corresponding to a particular retrieval code position. The slots communicate with the stack and the exterior thereto. The tab-like protrusions are insertable in these slots. A selector means, such as a selector bar, is also provided which selector is selectively and removably registrable in a slot for engagement with the associated tab-like protrusion of the medium or media to be retrieved.

United States Patent Heller [54] INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM [72] Inventor: Aaron L. Heller, 23 West 68th Street, New York, NY. 10023 221 Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 93,285

[52] US. Cl ..209/80.5 [51] Int. Cl. ..B07c [58] Field of Search ..209/80.5, 110.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 873,305 12/1907 'Eckarti ..309/80.5 867,930 10/ 1907 Stretch ..209/ 80.5

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,368,823 6/1963 France ..209/80.5

[451 Aug. 8, 1972 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Att0rneyI-lubbell, Cohen & Stiefel 57 ABSTRACT An infonnation retrieval system includes a housing in which a plurality of information bearing media, each having a tab-like protrusion cooperatively associated therewith at least one of a plurality of desired retrieval code positions, is retrievably stored in a stacked arrangement. The housing includes a slotted portion having a plurality of spaced apart slots which each extend transversely of the stack, each slot corresponding to a particular retrieval code position. The slots communicate with the stack and the exterior thereto. The tab-like protrusions are insertable in these slots. A selector means, such as a selector bar, is also provided which selector is selectively and removably registrable in a slot for engagement with the associated tab-like protrusion of the medium or media to be retrieved.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUwc 8 I972 R O N E V W Y AARON HELLER wwwew ATTORNEYS.

INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM covered. The information bearing media may be provided with an alignment code, sueh as a cut-out portion BACKGROUND OF INVENTION for assuring alignment of the media in the housing. 7 1 Field of the invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The present invention relates to information retrieval FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the systems in which a plurality of information bearing preferred embodiment of the present invention: media are etored for selective retrieval. FIG, 2 i a lan view of a typical card which may be 2. De p n o the Pnor Art used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

P110? an information retljievalfiystems what y FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the house termed the card file yp In which a P y of card ing of a modified form of the embodiment shown in like members are stored in a stacked arrangement for FIG 1; V selective retrieyal are Primarily of a needle and P FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to yp In this p of System, each of the Cards has a that shown in FIG. 3 with the slotted member assemplurality of apertures near the periphery of the'card at bled within the housing;

coded positions. When it is desired to select or retrieve FIG 5 is an exploded fragmentary perspective View a Rameular card e of came from the Steeked P of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; rality, the needle 15 inserted through the desired aperand ture position and the stack is shaken until only the HQ 6 is a perspective View f the embodiment cards in which the needle extends through the ap- Shown in a propriate aperture remain. This system is cumbersome and subject to frequent breakdown due to the relative DETAILED DESCRIPTION OFTHE PREFERRED ease in which the cards tear due to the violent shaking EMBODIMENTS force and the small surface area alotted for resisting this force.

Other prior art systems have utilized a file box with a central slot having a finger which is movable along the length of the slot to select a group of cards. However, in such systems, there is no means provided for easily and accurately selecting the desired card or group of cards. Furthermore, in such a system no means is provided for detall heremafier Preferably the housmg 12 forms a box-like enclosure for the information bearing media cross-referencing cards so that with one movement of the selector finger all cards, including the crossg i g shall hefeuiafter referenced cards, relating to a desired subject may be ene J as eawemlous not selected or retrieved. These disadvantages of the prior hunted to e use 0 car as Sue me a may any 25 Referring now to the drawings in detail and especially to FIG. 1 thereof. The present invention includes a housing, generally referred to by the reference numeral 12, for retrievably storing a plurality of information bearing media 14, such as the card 16 shown by way of example in FIG. 2 and to be described in greater filed unit that can be selected in the manner to be l1 t a are overcome by the presen mvemlon described, such as record albums or tape cassettes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The housing 12 preferably includes four upstanding side walls 18, 20, 22 and 24 arranged to form the hollow box-like enclosure 12 which is open at the top end 26 thereof. The bottom end 28 of the box-like enclosure 12 formed by walls 18 through 24, inclusive,

An information retrieval system is provided which includes a housing in which a plurality of information bearing media, each having a tablike protrusion cooperatively associated therewith at at least one of a luralit of desired retrieval code itions, is Fetiieva bly stored in a stacked arrangemeii The housrahty of spaced apan Slots 32 thilough. mcluswe ing inehides a sietted portion having a plurality of Each of the slots 32 through 50, inclusive, preferably spaced apart siete Eaeh of the slots extends transverse extends transversely of thestackedplurahty 14 of cards ly of the stack and communicates with the stack and 16 when the cards 16 are Stored m i emPIOSuIe the exterior to the Stacie The Slots correspond to the Most preferably, slots 32 through 50, inclusive, extend retrieval code positions. Each slot has a different indici- 50 Perpendlcular to the planes P the Stacked plurahty 14 um associated therewith, each of the indiciurn being asof cards 16 between upstandmg walls 20 and 24 so as to sociated with a desired information retrieval selection. form notches therein" As Show? and Preferred in The tab-like protrusions are insertablein the slots in aceach of P fi e muted the slots cord-mice With the l-etrievai code positions through 50, inclusive, 18 designated by an associated in- A selector means, such as a selector bar, is also pro- Pf corresponding to a coded Information Tem'eYa-I vided, which selector is selectively and removably repee Show" 111 1, y y of example, the gistrable in a slot for engagement with the associated dlelum deslgheted as the numeral 2 corresponds to a tab-like protrusion of the medium or media to be lesson ammals- Preferably, the $1018 32 through retrieved. The housing is preferably a box-like encloinqlusivei e q i- P e g if desired, 8 H011- sure having an uppermost portion and a lowermost poruniform spaemg y be tion with th slotted ortion b i g at th lowermost As shown and preferred, the box-like enclosure porportion, The selector mean comprises a r bl tion 12 or storage case, has a cover 52 for the top 26 cover for the lowermost portion wherein the cover inhereof an another cover 54 for the bottom portion 28 cludes the selector bar for insertion in each of the slots, thereof. Most preferably, the bottom cover 54 includes One of the slots provides a neutral retrieval code posia selector bar portion 56 which is fixedly mounted tion in which the tab-like protrusions are not engaged thereon and which is registrable in any desired one of and the lowermost slotted portion is substantially the slots 32 through 50, inclusive. As will be described preferably includes a slotted portion .30 having a pluin greater detail hereinafter, the selector bar 56 acts as the selection means for retrieving the desired card or cards l6'from the storage case or enclosure portion 12.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the card 16 shown and preferred, includes at least onetab-like protrusion 58 cooperatively associated with the card 16. As shown by way of example in FIG. 2, the tab-like protrusion 58 maybe formed as a part of the card 16. If desired, although not shown, the tab-like protrusion 58 may be removably secured to the card 16, or, in the alternative, it may be separately formed from, but fixedly secured to, card 16.:The tab-like protrusion 58 is preferably located in the retrieval coded position corresponding to one of. the slots 32'through 50, inclusive, so that when theicard 16 isinserted in the storage enclosure 12, the

tab-like protrusion 58 will protrude into the particular slotu32 through 50, inclusive, corresponding to the particular coded position. This tab-like protrusion 58 may be tenned the primary retrieval code;

If desired, the card 16 may also be coded with at least one or more cross-reference tab-like protrusions 60 which are located at desired cross-reference retrieval code positions so as to protrude into the particular associated slot 32 through 50, inclusive, to which the particular cross-reference applies. Only one such crossreference tab-like protrusion 60 is shown for purposes of illustration, although others may be included if desired. Furthermore, although the tab-like protrusion 60 is shown as being an integral part of the card 16 by way of example, it also may be separately formed from and eitherremovably or fixedly secured to card 16. In addition, if desired, an alignment code 62, such as the angular notch 62 shown by way of example in FIG. 2, may be. included on the face of the card 16 for purposes of properly aligning the direction of the card 16 in the storage enclosure 12, so that the tab-like protrusions 58 and 60 protrude into the proper slots 32 trough 50, inclusive.

OPERATION In utilizing the information retrieval system of the present invention, the top cover 52 is removed from the storage enclosure 12. The bottom cover 54 is removed from the storage enclosure 12 and moved until the selector bar 56 is in registration with the desired slot 32 through 50, inclusive, corresponding to the information to beretrieved. The storage enclosure 12 is then placed down upon the cover 54 so as to dispose the selector bar 56 in the particular slot, such as slot 34 shown by way of example in FIG. 1. Selector bar 56 will engage allthe tab-like protrusions, including primary reference tabs 58 as well'as any cross-reference tabs 60, which protrude into this slot 34 and will exert an upward force on these cards 16 so as to cause them to extend up above the balance of the cards 16 contained in the storage enclosure 12. Thereafter, the user can then easily pull these selected cards out of the storage enclosure 12. When it is desired to place the selected cards 16 back'in the storage enclosure 12, if they are facing in the proper direction, they may be placed in any location in the enclosure 12 as the tab-like protrusions 58 and 60 will protrude through the appropriate slots 32 through 50, inclusive, which extend between walls 20 and 24.

As shown and preferred, one of the slots 40 is the neutral slot as indicated by the arrowhead indicium 64, a corresponding arrowhead indicium 66 being located on the face of the bottom cover 54. When the selector bar 56 is registered in slot 40 with the arrows 64 and 66 opposite each other, no tab-like protrusions 58 or 60 are engaged and the storage enclosure 12 may be closed such as shown in FIG. 6, with the top cover 5 also being placed on the storage enclosure 12.

. ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT I As shown in FIGS. 3,4 and 5 if desired, theslotted portion 30 of the storage enclosure .12 may be replaced by a removable slotted member 70 which is insertable in the storage portion v12 through the top 26 thereof.

Slotted member 70 preferably includes a pair of parallel spaced apart portions 72 and 74,] which are preferably identical, each having a plurality of paralleltransverse slots 76 and 78, respectively, therein arranged in parallel pairs so asto-form through slots therein similar to slots 32 through 50 inclusive of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The slotted portions 72 and 74 are held in spaced apart relation by upstanding supporting members 80 and 82 which preferably form, with portions 72 and 74, a hollow rectangular configuration having outer dimensions slightly smaller than the inner dimensions of the rectangular storage enclosure 12 so as to permit insertion therein through the top 26. Of course, if desired slotted member 70 could be formed as a single solid member having slots similar to slots 32 through 50 inclusive, formed therein.

As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom portion 28 of the storage enclosure 12 in this modified embodiment is formed with one single cut-out portion 72 having a framing portion 74 for the cut-out 72. The cut-out 72 is slightly smaller in size than the outer dimensions of the insertable slotted member 70 so as to retain the slotted member 70 within the storage enclosure '12 by means of framing portion 74. If desired, slotted member 70 may be secured to the framing portion 74 such as by an adhesive. The balance of the structure is identical with that previously described with reference to FIG. 1 with each of the slots 32 through 50, inclusive, communication with the stack 14 and the exterior thereof, and will.

not be described in greater detail hereinafter. The manner of operation of the information retrieval system of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, inclusive, is identical with that previously described with reference to FIG. 1.

By utilizing the information retrieval system of the present invention, information bearing media such as cards or record albums may be stored in a case from which they may beeasily selectively retrieved.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiments of the present invention are merely illustrative of the principles thereof and that numerous modifications and embodiments of the invention may be derived within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for retrievably storing a plurality of information bearing media each having a tab-like protrusion cooperatively associated therewith at at least one i of a plurality of desired retrieval code positions, .comprising:

a housing for retrievably storing said media in a stacked arrangement, said housing including a slotted portion having a plurality of spaced apart slots, each of said slots extending transversely of said stack and communicating with said stack and the exterior to said stack, said slots corresponding to said retrieval code positions, said tab-like protrusions being insertable in said slots in accordance with said retrieval code positions; and

a means for selectively retrieving at least one of said media, said selector means being selectively and removably disposable in one of said slots for displacing said associated tab-like protrusion of said one medium out of said slot, whereby to selectively displace said at least one media from said plurality of media, said selector means comprising a removable cover for said slotted portion, said cover substantially covering said slotted portion in a neutral retrieval code position, said tab-like protrusions being out of engagement with said selective retrieving means in said neutral position.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stacked arrangement comprises a plurality of substantially planar media.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said I slots extend substantially perpendicular to said stack in spaced apart relation to each other.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selector means includes a selector bar, said selector bar being insertable in said slots.

5. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said slots is of substantially the same length, said selector bar having a length substantially equal to said slot length.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow box-like enclosure having an uppennost portion and a lowermost portion, said uppermost portion having an aperture therein for passage of said media therethrough.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said retrieval code positions has a different indicium associated therewith, each of said indicium being associated with a desired information retrieval selection. 

1. A system for retrievably storing a plurality of information bearing media each having a tab-like protrusion cooperatively associated therewith at at least one of a plurality of desired retrieval code positions, comprising: a housing for retrievably storing said media in a stacked arrangement, said housing including a slotted portion having a plurality of spaced apart slots, each of said slots extending transversely of said stack and communicating with said stack and the exterior to said stack, said slots corresponding to said retrieval code positions, said tab-like protrusions being insertable in said slots in accordance with said retrieval code positions; and a means for selectively retrieving at least one of said media, said selector means being selectively and removably disposable in one of said slots for displacing said associated tab-like protrusion of said one medium out of said slot, whereby to selectively displace said at least one media from said plurality of media, said selector means comprising a removable cover for said slotted portion, said cover substantially covering said slotted portion in a neutral retrieval code position, said tab-like protrusions being out of engagement with said selective retrieving means in said neutral position.
 2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stacked arrangement comprises a plurality of substantially planar media.
 3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said slots extend substantially perpendicular to said stack in spaced apart relation to each other.
 4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selector means includes a selector bar, said selector bar being insertable in said slots.
 5. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said slots is of substantially the same length, said selector bar having a length substantially equal to said slot length.
 6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow box-like enclosure having an uppermost portion and a lowermost portion, said uppermost portion having an Aperture therein for passage of said media therethrough.
 7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said retrieval code positions has a different indicium associated therewith, each of said indicium being associated with a desired information retrieval selection. 